Planetary Population Partnership

What is the Planetary Population Partnership (PPP)?

PPP is an ambitious and powerful plan to bring together nations, states and provinces with low population densities, in a partnership that recognises the importance of a sustainable population.

Why PPP, and why a sustainable population?

1. Some facts:The earth’s present population of 6 billion is predicted to rise to 8 billion by 2025.
2. In the last seventy years the global population has tripled. It continues to grow at an unsustainable rate.
3. UNESCO estimates that the global population is already over-consuming the planet’s natural resources by some 30%.

An unchecked increase in the global population may well cancel out all other attempts to curb climate change and sustain human life. The issue of unsustainable human numbers cannot be overlooked in any serious attempt to protect our environment.

PPP wishes to encourage nations/areas with low population densities to attach due importance to sustainability rather than growth, and to see their low population as a cultural asset to be treasured. These communities can share ideas within PPP, and spread their values to other nations by way of example. A nation that is not already over-populated and over-consuming can realise sustainability ideals far more quickly and visibly than those that are. They can also learn to value their asset before it is too late.

Who would be possible PPP members?

Nations such as New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay,Botswana, Sweden and Uruguay; U.S. states such as Colorado, Maine, Montana and Oregon; Canadian provinces such as Alberta and British Columbia.

All of these have a population density of less than 25 people per square kilometre.

What might PPP do?

1. Rethink notions of the benefit of growth in numbers and move on to seek improvement in the quality of human life both individually and collectively as a society.
2. Given a sustainable population, pursue a sustainable environment in all its aspects.
3. Approach more personally and innovatively the global issues facing the nation’s future.
4. Create various avenues of communication between the PPP participants for sharing knowledge and information, including information about each other and their own areas/countries. This will include, in particular, good communication between the young people of each nation/area and working partnerships between schools.
5. Explore what an ‘ideal’ population might be. In the case of a population considered too low in terms of prosperity and quality of life, consider how a PPP participant can encourage population growth in a sustainable and controllable way.
6. Explore the possible significance of their sustainable populations to their economic philosophy and procedures.
7. Act co-operatively to share research and experimentation on mutually desired goals.
8. Make efforts to enhance friendships and understanding, particularly between those partners whose cultures are dissimilar. Encourage professional and educational international exchange programs to this end.
9. Create and practise a shared philosophy stressing happiness, creativity, beauty, sustainability and wisdom rather than competitiveness.
10. Provide a model for other nations/areas on what a workable population is, how it functions socially and economically, and how to live sustainably.